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Conversation: 655-003

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Start Date: 25-Jan-1972 9:55 AM

End Date: 25-Jan-1972 12:32 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Butterfield, Alexander P.Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Sanchez, ManoloZiegler, Ronald L.Kissinger, Henry A.[Unknown person(s)]Finch, Robert H.Woods, Rose Mary

Recording Device: Oval Office

Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:13:45

Full Tape Conversation End Time: 02:47:22

655a.mp3

655b.mp3

NARA Description:

On January 25, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander P. Butterfield, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Manolo Sanchez, Ronald L. Ziegler, Henry A. Kissinger, unknown person(s), Robert H. Finch, and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:55 am and 12:32 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 655-003 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 655-3

Date: January 25, 1972
Time: Unknown before 9:55 am and 12:32 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Alexander P. Butterfield.

     India-Pakistan
           -Unknown person’s conversation with Haldeman
                -Questions

Butterfield left and H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman entered at 9:55 am.

     The President’s Vietnam peace proposal speech, January 25, 1972
          -Scheduling
               -Networks
                      -National Broadcasting Company [NBC] special
                      -Ronald L. Ziegler
               -Problem
          -Ziegler’s knowledge of content
               -Kissinger’s informing
               -Contact with Haldeman

     John A. Scali
          -Henry A. Kissinger’s assessment
                -State Department
          -Opinion of William P. Rogers
          -State Department
          -Kissinger’s conflict with Rogers
          -Haldeman’s reluctance to inform about Kissinger-Rogers conflict
                -Scali’s possible book
                -Kissinger
          -Kissinger’s view
                -Haldeman’s view

     Kissinger
          -Handling
          -Clark MacGregor
               -Problems with Congress
          -Relations with White House staff
               -Disagreements
                                                 3

                             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                        Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. 10/06)
                                                                        Conv. No. 655-3 (cont.)


             -Patrick J. Buchanan [?]
             -The President’s talk with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.

Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 9:55 am.

     Unknown object

Sanchez left at an unknown time before 10:36 am.

     Scali
             -Knowledge of content of US peace proposal for Vietnam
                  -Timing of release
                       -White House staff
             -Leaks
                  -Kissinger
                  -Background information
                       -Networks
                       -Credibility
                  -Previous actions
                  -People’s Republic of China [PRC] trip preparations
                       -Kissinger
                             -Talk with the President
                                   -Newsmen in PRC
                       -PRC
                             -Release of information

     US peace proposal for Vietnam
         -Edward W. Brooke
               -Speech before Republicans, January 24, 1972
                    -Troop withdrawals
                           -Prisoners of war [POWs]
               -Possible leaks from administration
                    -Kissinger
                    -The President
                    -Defense Department
                           -Brooke’s administrative assistant
                    -Relation to Murrey Marder story
                           -Melvin R. Laird’s concern
                                 -Kissinger’s view
                                      -Speculation
               -Speech
                                             4

                         NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. 10/06)
                                                                        Conv. No. 655-3 (cont.)


                    -Importance
                    -Effect on the President’s address
                    -Publicity
                    -Effect on the President’s address
                          -Speculation
                          -Possible lessening of impact
                          -Administration strategy
                    -Perception of the President’s forthcoming speech
                          -Secret talks
                          -Nguyen Van Thieu’s resignation
                    -Publicity
                          -Public perception of senators’ speeches
                    -Haldeman’s talk with Kissinger
         -Kissinger’s briefing, January 26, 1972
              -Preparation
         -The President’s schedule, January 24, 1972
              -Talk with Kissinger
         -Preparation for television set-up
              -The President’s schedule

    The President’s schedule
         -Richard M. Scammon
              -The President’s recent call to Charles W. Colson
         -Robert H. Finch


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 6m 18s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3

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    Finch
         -Speeches
              -Importance
                                             5

                        NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                   Tape Subject Log
                                     (rev. 10/06)
                                                             Conv. No. 655-3 (cont.)


              -Constituency
              -News coverage
                   -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
                         -Attacks on opponents
                   -Example
                         -Dartmouth College
              -Schedule
              -News summary

    Speeches
         -News coverage
             -News summary
             -John B. Connally
             -John A. Volpe
             -George W. Romney
             -Elliot L. Richardson
                   -Edward M. Kennedy
             -Volpe
                   -New Hampshire
             -Rogers C. B. Morton
                   -Julie Nixon Eisenhower


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 16s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4

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    Budget message, January 24, 1972
        -Buchanan’s news analysis
             -Economy
             -Conservatives’ reactions to budget proposal
                   -Holmes Alexander
                   -Unknown person
                                         6

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. 10/06)
                                                              Conv. No. 655-3 (cont.)


     -News summary
          -Connally and George P. Shultz
                -Network appearances
     -The President’s refusal to comment
          -Ziegler’s reaction
     -Ziegler
          -Performance
     -Quality as a news story
          -Connally’s view
                -Compared to that of rest of Cabinet
                -Blame and credit for the President
                      -Rogers’s and Laird’s reactions
          -Connally’s actions
                -Shultz
     -Deficits
          -Problem
          -Significance as issue
                -State of economy
     -Democrats’ suggestions
          -Human resources
          -Defense
          -Ceiling
          -Concrete alternatives
                -Press coverage

Economy
    -Wage and price controls
        -Colson
        -Donald H. Rumsfeld
        -Connally’s outline
        -Dan Rather’s question during interview, January 2, 1972
              -Paul W. McCracken
              -The President’s response
                    -Duration of controls
                         -Inflation
        -Connally’s view
        -Shultz’s view
        -Buchanan’s comments
        -Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson
        -Reaction
              -Shultz’s understanding
                                         7

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                  Tape Subject Log
                                    (rev. 10/06)
                                                         Conv. No. 655-3 (cont.)


          -McCracken’s assessment
              -Administration reaction
                    -Herbert Stein
                    -Shultz
                    -Connally
                    -Result
                    -Rumsfeld and Shultz
          -Connally’s plan
              -Cabinet meeting
                    -Need for Administration unity
              -Duration of controls
                    -Inflation
                           -Goal
              -Press

News summaries
    -Buchanan
         -Work
              -Organization
              -Quality
    -Frequency
         -Need for perspective
    -Coverage of issues
    -News coverage of administration policy issues
         -Forthcoming campaign
         -The President’s annotations
         -Buchanan’s outlook
         -Vietnam
         -PRC announcement
         -Economy
              -Inflation

Economy
    -Economic writers
         -Buchanan’s assessment
         -Left wing
         -Equivocation
               -McCracken’s memoranda

News coverage of administration
    -Hugh S. Sidey article
                                    8

               NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                           Tape Subject Log
                             (rev. 10/06)
                                                               Conv. No. 655-3 (cont.)


      -Criticism of the President’s forthcoming trip to PRC
            -Expense of television coverage
            -Compared with John F. Kennedy’s foreign travel
      -Thesis
            -Democrats
                  -Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson
                        -Publicity
-The President’s trips, 1961-69
      -Publicity
            -Time-Life Corporation
            -New Hampshire
                  -Television networks
                        -Primary
-Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson
      -Televised news conferences
-Double standard
-Sidey
      -Possible conversation with Haldeman
      -Possible conversation with Ziegler
      -Recent article
            -Fairness
            -Effect
      -Writing about underdogs
-Power of the presidency
-Sidey
      -Purpose of writing
-Frustration of the President’s opponents
      -New Hampshire primary
            -PRC trip
-The President’s Vietnam peace proposal speech
      -The President’s talk with Kissinger, January 24, 1972
            -Kissinger’s concerns
                  -Criticism
                  -Press anger, attacks
-Bias
      -Kissinger’s backgrounders
-Television
      -Press conferences
      -Vietnam announcements
            -November 3, 1971
      -Cambodia announcement, April 30, 1970
                                        9

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. 10/06)
                                                          Conv. No. 655-3 (cont.)


                -Effect on polls
                -The President’s efforts
                       -Press conference, statement
                       -California
          -Laos invasion
                -Handling
          -Budget
                -Connally
          -Laos
                -Handling
                -Kissinger’s backgrounders
     -The President’s Vietnam peace proposal speech
          -Public reaction
          -POWs
                -Wives
          -Thieu resignation
                -Possible reaction
                       -Intellectuals
                       -Accusation of surrender
                -Initiation of offer
                -Election
     -PRC trip
          -Jack N. Anderson [?]
          -Vietnam
                -Kissinger’s view
                       -Fear of US victory

The President’s State of the Union Address
     -Buchanan and Raymond K. Price, Jr.’s theses
          -John D. Ehrlichman’s view
          -The President’s view

The President’s interview with Rather
     -The President’s tactics
          -Buchanan’s view
                 -Alexander column
          -Other officials’ views
                 -Desire for fight

Buchanan thesis on the presidency
    -Controversy in issues
                                            10

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. 10/06)
                                                                 Conv. No. 655-3 (cont.)


               -Desirability
               -Compared with presidential stature
                    -Ehrlichman’s view
                           -Incumbency
                    -Price’s view
           -Campaigning
               -1970 election
                    -Media reaction
               -1972 campaign
                    -Edith Efron’s book [The News Twisters]
               -Credibility
                    -[Forename unknown] Weiner [sp?]
                           -Ehrlichman
                    -Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944
                           -World War II

Ziegler entered at 10:36 am.

     The President’s Vietnam peace proposal speech
          -Scheduling
               -American Broadcasting Corporation [ABC] and Columbia Broadcasting
                     System [CBS]
               -NBC
                     -Special, The Search for the Nile
               -West Coast viewers
               -ABC movie
               -NBC special
                     -Audience make-up
                           -School children
                           -Size
               -NBC
                     -Compared to ABC, CBS
               -Scheduled network programs
                     -CBS
                           -Hawaii Five-O
                           -Special, I’m a Fan
                                 -Dick Van Dyke
                                 -Carol Channing
               -Ziegler’s call to the networks
               -ABC, CBS preference
               -NBC preference
                                         11

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. 10/06)
                                                             Conv. No. 655-3 (cont.)


          -Administration review and decision-making
          -Audience
               -West Coast consideration
          -Advance announcement
     -News build-up
          -Brooke
     -Audience
     -Replaying out-takes
          -West
          -Value
     -Scheduling
          -Press briefing
               -Congress
          -A Day in the Life of the President
          -NBC special on the Nile River
               -Serialization
               -Audience make-up
                      -Compared with probable audience for CBS and ABC scheduled
                           programs
                           -Hawaii Five-O
                           -All in the Family
                                  -Archie Bunker
                                  -Michael Stivick

All in the Family
      -ABC
      -Writers
            -Background
                  -Paul W. Keyes
            -Intentions and results
                  -Bunker
                        -Compared to Stivick
                             -Prejudices
                        -Possible changes to character
                  -Changes
                  -Social message
                        -Compared to entertainment value
                  -Compared with movie, Joe
      -Ziegler’s viewing
      -Portrayal of blacks
                                             12

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/06)
                                                                    Conv. No. 655-3 (cont.)


     The President’s Vietnam peace proposal speech
          -Scheduling

Kissinger entered at 10:48 am.

                 -Notification of Thieu
                 -West Coast consideration
                 -Networks’ preferences
                 -Radio audience on West Coast
                 -NBC special
                      -Compared with ABC movie and CBS special
                             -Audiences
                 -Ziegler’s briefing

Ziegler left at 10:51 am.

           -Connally’s views
                 -Lack of proposals in Johnson Administration
                       -Johnson’s possible reaction
                       -Paris talks
                             -“Shape of the table” phrase
                       -Release of text
                       -The President’s May 14, 1969 announcement
                 -Origins of wars
                       -Study
                       -Possible deletion
                             -Public opinion
                             -Private comment
                             -Safire’s view
                       -Purpose for inclusion
           -William L. Safire’s work
                 -Deletions
           -Connally’s views
                 -Diction
                 -Thieu’s forthcoming statement
                 -Quality of suggestions
                       -Rogers
           -Safire’s work
                 -Cute phrases
                       -Deletion
           -Kissinger’s forthcoming briefing
                                             13

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/06)
                                                                   Conv. No. 655-3 (cont.)


               -Details of agreement
                     -Complexity
                           -Press reception
                     -Residual force
                     -POWs
                     -Eight-point plan
               -Previous withdrawal and cease-fire for POWs offers
                     -May 31, 1971
               -Kissinger’s call to Ellsworth F. Bunker, January 24, 1972
                     -South Vietnamese perception of plan
                           -Complexity
               -Two stage plan, October 11, 1971
                     -US flexibility
               -Residual force
          -North Vietnamese reaction
               -POW for troop withdrawal proposal
                     -Cease-fire
          -Variations on terms
               -Public statements
                     -Duration
          -David Kraslow’s call to Kissinger, January 25, 1972
               -Brooke’s speech
               -Kissinger’s speech to Women’s National Press Club in New York City,
                     January 26, 1972

The President left at an unknown time before 11:07 am.

          -Brooke speech
               -Leak to Brooke
                     -Laird
               -Possible effect
                     -Speculation
                     -Leaks
                     -Laird’s call to Kissinger, January 22, 1972
                          -Vietnam bombing
                          -Troop withdrawal for POWs proposal
               -State Department reaction
                     -Robert J. McCloskey
                          -Compared with Dwight L. Chapin’s probable reaction
                                -Call to Haldeman or Ziegler
                          -Ziegler
                                             14

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/06)
                                                                   Conv. No. 655-3 (cont.)


          -Kraslow’s call to Kissinger
               -Accusation
               -POW troop withdrawal for POWs proposal
                    -North Vietnamese refusal
                           -New York Times
                    -Kraslow’s deadline

The President entered at an unknown time after 10:56 am.

          -Troop withdrawal for POWs proposal
               -North Vietnamese reaction
                     -Kraslow’s call to Kissinger
               -Differentiation from previous proposal
                     -Kraslow
               -Possible media reactions
                     -Washington Post
                     -New York Times
                     -Time
                     -Newsweek
                     -Compared with reaction to Cambodia and November 3, 1969 statements
                     -Agreement
                     -Administration strategy
                     -Reasons behind disagreement
                     -Compared with criticism on PRC trip and India-Pakistan policy

     India-Pakistan
           -US policy
                -Kurt Waldheim’s views
                      -United Nations [UN] vote

     Waldheim
         -Compared to U Thant

     The President’s trip to PRC
          -Initial reactions
          -Revised reactions
                 -Possible success
                 -Edward Kennedy’s comments
                       -PRC embassy in Ottawa

     The President’s Vietnam peace proposal speech
                                               15

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 10/06)
                                                                       Conv. No. 655-3 (cont.)


           -Connally’s view
                -Initial reaction, January 20, 1972
                -Current view
                -Suggestions
           -Deletions
           -Qualities

     POW families
        -Kissinger’s forthcoming meeting
        -Organizing for campaign
              -News summary
              -Sidey’s [?] view
              -Primaries
              -Democrats
        -Possible effect of the President’s speech
        -Previous talks with Kissinger
              -Plea for deadline
        -Previous talks with the President
        -Cease-fire and Thieu resignation
              -POWs

     Time’s scenario on Vietnam
          -News summary
          -The President’s trip to PRC
               -Possible North Vietnamese offensive against South Vietnam
                     -Possible effect
                           -Likelihood
                                 -Effect of the President’s speech

Ziegler entered at 11:07 am.

     The President’s Vietnam peace proposal speech
          -Scheduling
               -ABC movie
               -CBS interruption of Hawaii Five-O
          -Ziegler’s forthcoming press briefing
               -Length of speech
                      -Complications of reporting approximate length
               -Address
                      -Compared to statement
               -Questions from reporters
                                               16

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                                      Conv. No. 655-3 (cont.)


                      -Nature of speech
                           -Ziegler’s conversation with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
                      -The President’s possible meeting with William J. Porter
                           -Photograph
                      -Kissinger’s meeting with Porter
                           -Length
                -Significance of address
                -Caution to reporters about speculation
                      -Fixed withdrawal date
                      -Previous North Vietnamese refusal of proposal to New York Times,
                            January 21
                      -Ziegler’s credibility
                -Porter
           -Schedule

Ziegler left at 11:14 am.

     Thieu
          -Speech, January 26, 1972
          -Speech
               -Reference to reelection
                      -US stance
          -Possible resignation
               -Possible effect
               -Laird
                      -Kissinger’s call, January 25, 1972
                            -Briefing by Haig
                      -Testimony before Congress
                      -Bunker
                      -Gen. Creighton W. Abrams, Jr.
                      -Porter

     Vietnam
          -Laird
               -Bombing attacks
                    -Call to Kissinger, January 22, 1972
               -Dealing with Haldeman
          -Bombing
               -Washington Post story by Mike Getler
                    -Accuracy
               -Duration
                                                 17

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                        Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. 10/06)
                                                                 Conv. No. 655-3 (cont.)


                       -The President’s effort
                       -Adm. Thomas H. Moorer
                       -Defense Department
                 -Targets
                       -Joint Chiefs of Staff [JCS]
                       -Gen. Robert E. Pursley
                       -Restrictions
                 -Haig’s return from PRC
                 -Congressional schedule
                 -Weather
                 -Possible success
                 -Protest to French by Hanoi
                 -Damage
                 -Washington Post story
                       -Leaks
                             -Possible call to Laird
                                   -Rogers
                 -Duration
                       -Laird’s view
                       -JCS view

Ziegler entered at 11:17 am.

     Vietnam peace proposal speech
          -Brooke speech
                -POWs for deadline
                      -Viet Cong reaction
          -Ziegler’s briefing
                -Caution to reporters about speculation
          -Viet Cong

Ziegler left at 11:18 am

     Vietnam
          -Bombing
              -Possible calls to Laird and Moorer
              -Duration
                   -JCS
                   -The President’s order
                         -Compared to JCS request
              -Targets
                                          18

                       NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                  Tape Subject Log
                                    (rev. 10/06)
                                                                    Conv. No. 655-3 (cont.)


                   -Restrictions
             -Record
                   -Possible White House publication
             -Washington Post story leak
                   -JCS
                        -Pursley
                               -Clark M. Clifford
                        -Doves
                        -Air Force
             -Air Force
                   -Weather
                        -Visibility
                   -Laos
                        -Restriction
                   -Weather
                        -February, March 1971
             -Duration
             -Washington Post story leak
                   -Robert C. Seamans, Jr.
                        -Knowledge of bombing
                        -Laird
                   -Defense Department and JCS
             -Moorer
                   -Kissinger’s forthcoming meeting with the President
                   -Possible White House action


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 12
[Privacy]
[Duration: 5s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 12

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                  -Position
                        -Recent meeting
                                             19

                         NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/06)
                                                                    Conv. No. 655-3 (cont.)


                          -Compared to Laird


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 28
[Privacy]
[Duration: 19s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 28

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               -Laird
               -Targets
                    -White House position
               -Haldeman’s forthcoming talk with Laird
                    -Selection of targets
                         -Restrictions
                         -JCS and Defense Department
                    -Duration of bombing
                         -Extension

    Leaks
         -Laird
         -State Department
               -Rogers
         -Troop withdrawals
         -Departments
         -White House

    Responsibility for issues and actions
        -Connally
        -Shultz
        -John N. Mitchell
        -Connally
              -Philosophy
                     -The President’s role
                           -Compared to that of staff and Cabinet
                                         20

                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. 10/06)
                                                                 Conv. No. 655-3 (cont.)


                   -Compared with John F. Dulles with Dwight D. Eisenhower
        -Kissinger’s experience during Kennedy administration
        -Bureaucracy
             -Difficulty for Republican president
        -Connally
        -Bureaucracy
             -Leaks

U. Alexis Johnson
     -Conversation with Kissinger, January 24, 1972
           -Views of political climate of Washington, DC
           -Difficulty of meetings
     -Loyalty
     -Foreign service
     -Compared to John N. Irwin, II

Irwin

Ambassadorial position
    -Richard M. Paget
          -Connally
          -Roy L. Ash Council
    -William P. Clements
    -Irwin
    -[David] Kenneth Rush
          -Rogers

State Department
      -Reorganization
           -Schedule
                -1972 election

The President’s Vietnam peace proposal speech
     -Kissinger’s briefing of Congressmen and Senators
          -Carl B. Albert
          -[Thomas] Hale Boggs
          -Gerald R. Ford
          -Allen J. Ellender
          -John C. Stennis
          -Michael J. Mansfield
          -Hugh Scott
                                   21

                NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                           Tape Subject Log
                             (rev. 10/06)
                                                             Conv. No. 655-3 (cont.)


     -J. William Fulbright
     -George D. Aiken
     -Stennis
     -Margaret Chase Smith
     -Thomas E. Morgan
     -William S. Mailliard
     -F. Edward Hebert
     -Leslie C. Arends
     -Barry M. Goldwater
     -Stennis
     -Complexity of plan
     -Hebert
     -Possible meeting, January 26, 1972
     -Ronald W. Reagan
     -Nelson A. Rockefeller
     -Lyndon Johnson
     -Goldwater and Stennis
     -John G. Tower
     -Schedule
     -Attendance
           -The President
-Leadership meeting, January 25, 1972
     -The President’s attendance
     -The President’s comments
           -Haig
-Kissinger’s briefing
     -TV press
     -Leaders
     -Writing press
     -Complexity
           -Alteration
                 -Kissinger’s meeting with the President, January 24, 1971
                 -Stages
                       -Ceasefire and withdrawal
-Acceptance of terms
     -North Vietnamese and Viet Cong
           -Brooke speech
     -Alternate plans
           -Administration strategy
                 -Seven points
                 -Colson
                                               22

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 10/06)
                                                                        Conv. No. 655-3 (cont.)


                            -Scali
                            -Herbert G. Klein
                            -MacGregor
                            -Attack on opponents
                            -List of US concessions
                                   -Reading by Kissinger, January 26, 1972
                                   -Summer 1971
                 -Thieu’s offer to resign

Ziegler entered at 11:30 am.

           -Ziegler’s briefing
                -Brooke speech
                -Release of nature of speech
                       -Speculation
                       -Effect
                             -Diplomacy

Ziegler left at 11:31 am.

                     -Public interest
           -Brooke speech
                -Benefits
                     -North Vietnam’s turndown of proposal of withdrawal for POWs
                            -Kissinger’s forthcoming briefing
                                 -US compliance with nine points
                                 -Resignation of Thieu
                                 -Installation of communist government in South Vietnam
           -Liberals
           -Administration opponents
           -Analogy to May 14, 1969 statement
           -Probable media reaction
                -Withdrawal date
                     -POWs
                -North Vietnam’s turndown of proposal
                     -Publicity
                            -New York Times proposal
                                 -Laotian military victories
                                 -Porter
                     -Possible rejection of Administration proposals
                -Secret talks
                                        23

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. 10/06)
                                                                 Conv. No. 655-3 (cont.)


           -Compared with reaction if the President did not make speech
                 -Senate
                 -Military victory
                       -Negotiations
                 -POWs wives
           -Rather’s interview with the President
                 -The President’s responses
                 -Rather
     -Public reaction
           -Negotiations
                 -Vietnamization
                 -Possible military action
     -Fulfillment of the President’s promises
           -Criticism
     -Administration line
           -News summaries
           -Colson’s efforts
           -Obstacles facing Administration
                 -Historical perspective

PRC trip
    -Press
         -Number of invitees
         -Robert B. Considine
              -Influence
              -Previous trip to Soviet Union
              -Credibility
         -Number
              -Trade-off
                    -Secret Service
                    -Communications staff
                    -PRC’s views
                    -Ziegler
                          -Conversation with Haig
                          -Technical staff
                    -Writer

The President’s Vietnam peace proposal speech
     -Final draft
          -Timing
          -Typing problems
                                           24

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. 10/06)
                                                                     Conv. No. 655-3 (cont.)


           -Safire
                 -Schedule
           -Connally’s changes
           -Deletion
                 -Conference table shape

PRC trip
    -Invitations
          -Safire
          -Buchanan
                -Soviet Union trip
                -Conservatives
          -Safire
          -Klein
                -Benefits after return
                -Scali
                -Previous Administration inaction
          -Mark I. Goode and William H. Carruthers
          -Television coverage
                -Importance
          -Goode and Carruthers
          -Appearance of public relations presence
                -PRC
                -Press
          -Television experts
                -Goode and Carruthers
                -Chapin
                      -Ability
                      -Recognition of photograph opportunities
                             -Great Wall, Forbidden Palace
                             -Hawaiian opportunity with astronauts
                                  -Goode
                -Goode
          -Klein
                -Press staff
                      -Scali, Buchanan, Ziegler
                -Official party status
                -Ability
                      -Salesmanship
                      -Contact with the President
          -Emil (“Bus”) Mosbacher, Jr.
                                               25

                              NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 10/06)
                                                                        Conv. No. 655-3 (cont.)


                      -Ambassadorship to Spain
                            -Acceptance
                      -Value
                            -Gifts
                      -Gifts
                            -Chapin
                      -Value
                      -Klein
                 -Alvin Snyder
                      -Benefits
                            -TV transmission
                      -Incorporation of duties
                            -Klein, Scali, Ziegler
                 -Klein
                      -Benefits
                            -Value
                                  -Return from trip
                      -Briefing

     The President’s Vietnam peace proposal speech
          -Release to Ziegler
               -Timing
          -Kissinger
               -Check with Rose Mary Woods
               -Preparation for briefing
          -Complexity
               -Improvements in text
                     -Kissinger’s previous meeting with the President
          -Kissinger’s schedule
               -Relaxation
               -Study of previous record
               -Woods
          -Probable reaction

Kissinger left at 11:52 am.

     PRC trip
         -Invitations
               -Klein
               -Snyder
               -Goode and Carruthers
                                       26

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                               Tape Subject Log
                                 (rev. 10/06)
                                                                Conv. No. 655-3 (cont.)


          -Chapin
          -Television experts
                -Compared with Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon’s trip to Africa
                      -Staff
          -Goode
                -Work with the President on State of the Union
          -Snyder
          -Klein
                -Soviet Union
          -Scali
          -Klein
                -Administration efforts
                -Value
                -Emphasis on domestic issues
                      -Ehrlichman
                      -Shultz
                -Public relations impact of PRC trip
                -Rank
          -Military aides
                -John V. Brennan
                -Vernon C. Coffey, Jr.
          -Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
                -Brennan
                -Michael Schrauth
                -Family
          -Schedule
          -Hangchow
          -Talks
          -Length of stay
                -Kissinger’s view
          -Hangchow and Shanghai
                -Value
          -Compared with Soviet Union trip
                -Moscow
                -Leningrad, Novosibirsk and Sverdlovsk
          -Spontaneous events
                -Television

Kissinger
     -Health
          -Dr. W. Kenneth Riland
                                            27

                        NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                   Tape Subject Log
                                     (rev. 10/06)
                                                             Conv. No. 655-3 (cont.)


         -Work on peace proposal speech
              -Effect
         -Riland
              -Transportation to White House


******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 20
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 40s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 20

******************************************************************************


    PRC trip
        -Invitations
              -Klein
                    -Domestic work
              -Ehrlichman
              -Shultz
              -Possible misinterpretation
              -Colson
              -Ehrlichman
              -Cabinet officers
              -Klein
                    -Performance
                    -Domestic work
                    -Soviet trip
                          -Previous trip
              -Soviet trip
                    -White House staff
              -Official party status
                    -Woods and Buchanan
                    -Social functions
                          -Receiving line
              -Secretaries
                    -Kissinger’s office
                                          28

                       NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                  Tape Subject Log
                                    (rev. 10/06)
                                                            Conv. No. 655-3 (cont.)


                    -Nellie L. Yates
                          -Marjorie P. Acker
                    -Acker
                          -Qualifications
                    -Rogers’s office
         -Security concerns
              -Secret Service
              -Press coverage
              -Car
              -PRC airplane
              -Taiwan, Republic of China [ROC] story


**************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 21
[National Security]
[Duration: 16s ]


    CHINA


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 21

**************************************************************************

              -Car

**************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 29
[Federal Statute
[Duration: 1m 43s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 29

**************************************************************************
                                      29

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                               Tape Subject Log
                                 (rev. 10/06)
                                                         Conv. No. 655-3 (cont.)


PRC trip
    -Staff
          -Shortages
                -Communications
                      -Kissinger and Rogers
                      -Telephones
                -Schedule reminders
                      -Advancemen
    -Marshall Green and Alfred Le S. Jenkins
    -Kissinger
          -Staff
          -Anticipated work
    -Staff
          -Follow-up upon return home
                -Exhaustion
    -Advance staff
          -Health
                -Time change
                -Food
                -Ehrlichman
                -Weather
                -Work level
    -Doctors
          -Riland
          -Gen. Walter R. Tkach
          -Need
                -Number of people
                      -Press
          -Advance staff
          -Riland
                -Rockefeller’s trip
                -Duties
          -Tkach
                -The President
          -Staff illness
    -Mrs. Nixon
          -Constance M. (Cornell) Stuart
          -Ziegler
          -Schedule
                -Schrauth
                -Television coverage
                                           30

                         NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. 10/06)
                                                               Conv. No. 655-3 (cont.)


                     -Events
                          -Petroleum factory
                          -Art museum
                          -The President’s schedule
                     -Stuart
                          -Independent activity
                                -Television coverage
          -Mosbacher
               -Ambassadorship to Spain
               -Haldeman’s conversation with Chapin and Haig
               -Need
          -Haldeman
               -Rank
               -Role
          -Klein

An unknown man entered at an unknown time after 11:52 am.

     The President’s schedule
          -Finch

The unknown man left at an unknown time before 12:15 pm.

     PRC trip
         -Staff
               -Duties
         -Klein, Mosbacher, Goode and Carruthers
         -TV coverage
               -Snyder
               -Scali
               -Buchanan
         -Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
               -Buchanan
         -Kissinger’s staff
         -Price
         -Lee W. Huebner
         -Safire
         -Buchanan
               -Soviet trip

     Soviet trip
                                               31

                             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                                  Conv. No. 655-3 (cont.)


           -Price and Safire
           -Press corps
                 -Admission to the Soviet Union

     Vietnam
          -Washington Post story
              -Haldeman’s forthcoming conversation with Laird

Finch entered at 12:15 pm.

     Finch’s schedule

     Kissinger
          -Riland’s schedule
          -[Unintelligible name]
          -Riland’s and Tkach’s schedule

Haldeman left at 12:16 pm.


******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 25
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 36s ]


The President left at an unknown time before 12:18 pm.

Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 12:16 pm.

Alexander P. Butterfield entered and Sanchez left at 12:18 pm.


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 25

******************************************************************************

     Finch’s health
          -Charlotte M. Butterfield’s health
                                               32

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                                   Conv. No. 655-3 (cont.)


The President entered at an unknown time after 12:18 pm.

     The President’s schedule
          -Congressional leadership meeting
               -William E. Timmons
               -Schedule
                      -Budget presentation
                            -Probable length
                      -Stein

Butterfield left at an unknown time before 12:23 pm.

     Woods

[The President talked with Woods at an unknown time between 12:18 pm and 12:23 pm.]

[Conversation No. 655-3A]

     Speech draft
          -Schedule

[End of telephone conversation]

     The President’s Vietnam peace proposal speech
          -Schedule
          -Liberals
          -North Vietnam

     Vietnam
          -Secret negotiations
               -Paris
               -Xuan Thuy
               -Lt. Gen. Vernon A. Walters
               -Origin
                     -Fall 1969
                     -Le Duc Tho
                     -Xuan Thuy
                     -Georges J.R. Pompidou
                           -Airport landings
                                -Walters
                                      -Meetings with Xuan Thuy and Le Duc Tho
                                                33

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                                     Conv. No. 655-3 (cont.)



Woods entered at 12:23 pm.

     The President’s speech draft
          -Changes
               -Legibility
               -Grammar
               -Deletion
                      -Kissinger
               -Addition
                      -Connally

[The President talked with Kissinger at an unknown time between 12:23 pm and 12:32 pm.]

[Conversation No. 655-3B]

                -Paris negotiations reference
                      -Retention

[End of telephone conversation]

              -Ziegler
          -Woods’s work

******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 27
[Privacy]
[Duration: 17s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 27

******************************************************************************


Woods left at an unknown time before 12:32 pm.

     The President’s schedule
          -Executive Office Building [EOB] office
          -Oval Office
                                               34

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                         Tape Subject Log
                                           (rev. 10/06)
                                                                        Conv. No. 655-3 (cont.)


                 -TV set-up for speech
           -California

     Finch
          -Conversation with Maj. Gen. James D. (“Don”) Hughes [?]
              -POW’s
                    -Finch’s fundraising effort for Hughes’s [?] activities

     Lunch

The President and Finch left at 12:32 pm.